📖 What’s a Book Advance—And Why I Didn’t Wait for One

Part of the series “How to write a book from start to finish”

By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk

You’ve probably heard it in movies or interviews:

“I got a big advance for my book!”

It sounds exciting, right? A big check up front, the freedom to write, and the dream of being published. Suddenly, the characters are spending like they hit the lottery—cars, houses, parties—while their writing fades into the background. It starts to feel like a royalty high or their own version of Brewster’s Millions.

But here’s the truth that doesn’t make the highlight reel:

A book advance is not a bonus.

It’s not a prize.

It’s a prepayment against future royalties—basically a loan from your publisher, betting that your book will earn that money back in sales.

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💡 Here’s How It Works:

• The publisher gives you an upfront payment.

• Your royalties (the money you’d normally earn from each book sale) are used to pay that back.

While your publisher might not be a character in GoodFellas, they do expect to get their money back. This isn’t a gift with no strings—it’s a loan tied to your book’s performance.

• You don’t earn anything more until the advance is “earned out”—meaning your book sells enough copies to repay that amount.

But what if your book underperforms?

That does happen.

You usually don’t owe the money back out of pocket—but you also don’t earn another cent. Even worse, it can make publishers hesitant to offer you a second deal.

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✍️ Why I Didn’t Wait for an Advance

I chose to publish independently because I didn’t want to wait for permission—or a paycheck—to start sharing my words.

While traditional publishing has its benefits, I didn’t want to be tied to someone else’s timeline, expectations, or the pressure of selling thousands of copies just to break even.

I wanted creative control. I wanted the long game, not just a launch day.

By choosing self-publishing, I avoided having to make up out-of-pocket expenses with book sales. I control how the money is spent and where it goes. I don’t have to borrow against my future success just to promote my book today.

Publishing on your own terms might take longer to build—but it puts your success in yourhands, not someone else’s spreadsheet.

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📚 Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re wondering whether you need a big advance to move forward—know this:

You don’t need a publisher to prove your book is worth writing.

You just need to start sharing it with the world.

👉 Read the article Unlock Your Book’s Potential with the Power of Keywords! to learn how to promote your work and take control of your writing journey.

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📚 And if you’re new here, I’m J.E. Nickerson — faith based author and inspirational storyteller. You can check out my books here or follow me on YouTube for more inspiration and encouragement on this writing life.

Enjoy this reel on why you should not use book advances as a self published author⬇️